WWE Studios released 12 Rounds a few years ago starring none other than their poster boy, John Cena. The film was mostly negatively received; however I genuinely enjoyed the extended cut that is available on Netflix. Whilst that film didn’t break any ground, WWE Studios went ahead and produced a sequel, this time starring WWE Superstar Randy Orton. In the past, Randy Orton’s WWE abilities (including acting) have been criticized, so can he carry his own feature film?
12 Rounds Reloaded carries nearly the same premise as 12 Rounds (obviously). The love interest of the main character, Nick Malloy (Randy Orton), is kidnapped by someone (Brian Markinson) who seeks revenge on Nick for something that he had done in the past. In the original film, the reasoning behind this was quite clear in the prologue, however, something I liked about Reloaded is that the revenge scenario is slowly revealed throughout the film and every character is equally connected to the plot. In my opinion, this gives the viewer something to stick around for and adds the necessary drama the flick needs. In addition to interlocking the character arcs, the screenwriters also did a great job of making sure we know who the characters are by developing not only the main two characters, but also the supporting ones as well. The film also adds a very nice “SAW” feel to it with plenty of death and consequence for not only Nick’s surroundings, but also a team of detectives trying to find out why a random paramedic (Nick) has been a part of these crazy stunts. To me, this element added a nice surprise because there are instances where you think it could all end for anyone involved in the film including the villain. While some elements may be predictable, 12 Rounds: Reloaded has a very cool story with some really well developed characters.
Whilst Randy Orton’s acting and character has been much largely criticized over the past few years in the WWE, it was very nice to see him in a great, new fresh light. In the movie, he’s surprisingly good, but not necessarily great. If you’re looking for a break from “The Viper”, than this movie is definitely for you as Orton fits into the character’s shoes very well even though it takes some time. In addition to Orton, you may remember Brian Markinson from the Arrow pilot, who portrays the film’s villain. Let me just say that his performance in this is spectacular. The best thing about Markinson’s character and acting is that he’s stationed in a hideout/tunnel and most of his acting isn’t across from another actor and over the phone, which isn’t essentially an easy job to do. In addition to the good performances by the main characters, a nice surprise acting job was done by a supporting character, “Tommy”, who Nick Malloy will meet and join up with during his 12 Rounds. This character is key to the plot and Tom Stevens (who also made an appearance on Arrow) does a great job of portraying the crack head character. All in all, 12 Rounds Reloaded has a very stable cast with only a few weak links that could’ve been fixed if it had been a bigger budget movie.
12 Rounds Reloaded is a very well-constructed movie for the type of budget it has, not to mention it being somewhat direct-to-video. Randy Orton shows off that he has the chops to be an actor, despite what you see on WWE. The editing of the movie is sometimes sloppy, but the ending 20 minutes are extremely well-done. The story of the film is pretty linear, but has great twists and bumps along the way that will keep the viewer watching. Basically, this film is a very fun action thriller that should keep you guessing for a bit. The acting isn't necessarily Oscar-worthy but if you love action thrillers, you'll love this film. It didn't need to be Die Hard or Mission Impossible so it didn't try to be!
In conclusion, 12 Rounds Reloaded is a must-watch for anyone who likes the WWE Studios films, Randy Orton or Brian Markinson. A very fun action thriller that you should pick up on Blu-Ray, especially for the great special features!
3.5 out of 5 stars.